Glimpses of India / Tea From Assam/ Class X/ NCERT Solution English

Lesson Architecture

• Theme

• Lesson-At-A-Glance

• NCERT Solution

• Extra Questions

Theme:

• The lesson describes the famous tea gardens of Assam.

• We come to know about the legends surrounding the discovery of tea.

• We also come to know about the how tea spread to Europe, the best months of yield, and the origins of some common words related to tea.

• The story highlights the significance of informed travelling. The informed traveller gets much satisfaction as he has gathered a lot of information about the place he visits.

Lesson-At-A-Glance:

• This lesson describes a train journey by two friends-Pranjol and Rajvir to upper Assam where Pranjol's father is the manager of the Dhekiabari tea Estate.

• Pranjol being grown up in Assam is familiar with tea estates, whereas Rajvir is not familiar as he has grown up in Delhi.

• As a preparation for his visit to Assam, Rajvir has read a lot on tea. He tells Pranjol about a Chinese and an Indian legend regarding discovery of Tea.

• Rajvir also informs Pranjol about when tea was first drunk in China, when it was introduced to Europe and the origins of common words like chai and chini.

• When the train pulls into Mariani Junction in Assam, Prajol's parents greeted both of them.

• As they drive towards the tea-garden managed by Pranjol's father, Rajvir sees acres of tea bushes on either side of the road. As he has read a lot about tea, he immediately guesses that his is the sprouting period of tea plantation from may to July and which gives the best yield of tea.

• Mr Barua, Pranjol's father, is taken aback to learn that Rajvir knows so much about Assam. Rajvir replies that he further looks forward to learning more during his stay at the Dhekiabari Tea Estate.

NCERT Solution:

Thinking About Language

(Do not write down these questions on English Notebook. You can write the answers with pencil on the textbook itself.)

1. Look at these words: upkeep, downpour, undergo, dropout, walk-in. They are built up from a verb (keep, pour, go, drop, walk) and an adverb or a particle (up, down, under, out, in).

Use these words appropriately in the sentences below. You may consult a dictionary.

(i) A heavy downpour has been forecast due to low pressure in the Bay of Bengal.

(ii) Rakesh will undergo major surgery tomorrow morning.

(iii) My brother is responsible for the upkeep of our family property.

(iv) The dropout rate for this accountancy course is very high.

(v) She went to the Enterprise Company to attend a walk-in interview.

2. Now fill in the blanks in the sentences given below by combining the verb given in brackets with one of the words from words as appropriate below.

over by through out up down

(i) The Army attempted unsuccessfully to ____________ the Government. (throw)

Ans: overthrow.

(ii) Scientists are on the brink of a major _________ in cancer research. (break)

Ans: breakthrough.

(iii) The State Government plans to build a ____________ for Bhubaneswar to speed up traffic on the main highway. (pass)

Ans: bypass.

(iv) Gautama’s _________ on life changed when he realised that the world is full of sorrow. (look)

Ans: Outlook

(v) Rakesh seemed unusually ________ after the game. (cast)

Ans: downcast

3. II. Notice how these -ing and -ed adjectives are used.

The -ing adjectives show the qualities that chess, trekking, or these books have: they cause interest, excitement, or boredom in you. The —ed/—en adjectives show your mental state, or your physical state: how you feel in response to ideas, events or things.

Think of suitable -ing or -ed adjectives to answer the following questions. You may also use words from those given above.

How would you describe

(i) a good detective serial on television?

Ans: exciting

(ii) a debate on your favourite topic ‘Homework Should Be Banned’?

Ans: interesting.

(iii) how you feel when you stay indoors due to incessant rain?

Ans: bored.

(iv) how you feel when you open a present?

Ans: excited.

(v) how you feel when you watch your favourite programme on

television?

Ans: interested.

(vi) the look on your mother’s face as you waited in a queue?

Ans: frustrated.

(vii) how you feel when tracking a tiger in a tiger reserve forest?

ans: excited.

(viii) the story you have recently read, or a film you have seen?

Ans: amazing.

Extra Questions:

Q1. What legends are associated with the origin of tea?

Ans :

(a) There was one Chinese emperor who always boiled water before drinking it. One day a few leaves of the twigs burning under the pot fell into the water, which gave it a delicious flavour. It is said that they were tree leaves.

(b) Bodhidharma, an ancient ‘Budhist ascetic, cut off his eyelids because he felt sleepy during meditations. Ten tea plants grew out of the eyelids. The leaves of these plants when put in hot water drunk banished sleep.

Q2. Why did Rajvir feel that the view outside the window was magnificent?

Ans : Rajvir had never seen such beautiful greenery in his life. He was fascinated to see the tea gardens and the wooded hills so he called it a magnificent view. The tea pluckers looked like dolls to him.

Q3. Why does Rajvir call the workers doll-like figures?

Ans: The tea pluckers were the local women. They had covered themselves with clothes from top to bottom. They looked like moving dolls. Rajvir called them doll-like figures. They really looked very pretty.

Q4. Why was Pranjol not excited on seeing the tea garden?

Ans : Pranjol was born and brought up in Assam. He had been watching the tea gardens since his childhood. There was nothing new for him. So he was not excited on seeing the tea gardens.

Q5. What is the Chinese legend about the discovery of tea?

Ans: According to the Chinese legend, a Chinese emperor discovered tea accidentally. He used to boil water before drinking it. One day a few leaves of some twigs burning under the pot fell into the water giving it a delicious flavour. It is said that they were tea leaves.

Q6. What is the Indian legend about the discovery of tea?

Ans : According to Indian legend, Bodhidharma, an ancient Buddhist ascetic, cut off his eyelids because he felt very sleepy during meditation. Ten tea plants grew out of the eyelids. The leaves of these plants when put into hot water and drunk banished sleep.

Q7. Which tea is considered the best tea? Why?

Ans : The tea prepared from the second flush on sprouting period which begins in the month of May and lasts till the end of July is considered the best tea. It is the best one because it is prepared from the new leaves.